Method for forming laminated shaped articles



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Ma'rcl 7-, 1939. R. w. C-AMFIELD 2,149507 METHOD FOR FORMING -LAMINATEDSHAPED ARTICLES I Filed Jan. 8, 1937 6 'IMM I 6 4 WWW r//W/%W 4 PatentedMr. 7, l939 I I v UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE METHOD' FOR FORMINGLAMINATED SHAPED ARTICLES nusseu Walton Camfield, Mariom Ind.Application January 8, 1937, Serial No. 119,(552' 6 Claims. (Cl.144-309) This invention relates to the formation of Fig. 4 is a partial,transverse, cross-sectional laminated shaped articles and suitableapparatus view of a press fitted with embossing or designtherefor. Moreparticularly, the present invenforming dies in addition to the shapingdies, with tion has reference to a method of forming lamthe two surfacelayers being shaped therein;-and inated trays and other articles whereinat least Fig. 5 is a partial view of a press with shaping 5 some of thelayers are given "an Initial shaping dies therein, illustrating amodified form of sebefore the layers are secured together in finalcuring means for holding the shaped surface form. layers adjacent thedies when the latter are In carrying out the present invention, layersor separated after initially shaping these layers.

-plies of Wood or other suitable material are given While the presentinvention relates to the 10 a comparatively sharp-bend during thefabricaformation of various laminated, shaped articles, tion of thetrays or other articles. After some it will be particularly described inconnection of the layers are shaped, theycmay be separated With thefabrication of trays. These are preferbefore being finally adhesivelysecured together. ably made of a plurality of layers of any suitableDuring this step, it is desirable to prevent any Wood, although otherbendable, relatively stifi 15 lateral displacement of the shaped layersso material may b emp o It has b u d i that when they are broughtadjacent each other pr fer ble to mploy t r y ssurface or they willregister exactly with each other .and top layer l, a bottom layer 2, anda core 3. Each 'With the shaping dies. This is particularly imof theouter layers I and 2 may comprise one portant when one of the layers isprovided with or more rather thin plies of Wood., As shown 20 a groovedor embossed surface portion. in the drawing, there may be two plies ineach An object of this invention is to provide a surface layeradhesively secured together with the method of forming laminated traysor other grain of one plyrunning transversely to the shaped articleswithout cracking or fracturing other. By employing a plurality of pliesadthe woc'd or other material employed therein. hesively securedtogether in each of the surface 25 Another object is to provide such .amethod layers, with the grain'of the plies running transin which atleast some of the individual layers versely 'to that of the adjacentplies, the layers may be given substantially the desired shape' and arestrengthened and the possibil'ty of warping then, after being separated,may be brought adand crackin'g s at y duced- While t jacent each otherin substantially exact regiscore 3 may also be formed with aplurality'of 30 tration while a core inserted therebetween is pliessimilar to the surface layers, 'it has been shaped and adhesivelysecured thereto. fou d satsfactory to use erely a single 3 A furtherobject is to provide a method as which may, if ed, be thcker t a thindiabove set out, by means of which the laminated dual p es fo tsurface y particles may be rapidly and efliciently formed The apparatusemployed may comprise a single 35 at a minimum cost. 'or multipleopening press having heated press Still another object is to providesuitable app ate s 4 and Stea y b pp e to the paratus for carrying outthe methods covered press platens through' the channels 6 therein. bythis invention. Secured by any suitable means, such as clamps 40Furtherrobjects and advantages will be apor bolts, to each pair of pressplatens 4 and 5 40 parent from the following description when conareforming o Shapng dies 1 n The Steam sidered with the accompanyingdrawing, in which supp d to the Dress platens is under Sufficientlatter-- pressure to .heat the dies to a 'temperature of Figure 1 is acentral, longitudinal, cross-secabout 300 to 325 F., although thetemperature '45 tional View of a forming press withupper and may varyconsiderably beyond this range, being lower surface layers positionedtherein prior to determined largely by the adhesive material embeinggiven an initial shape or form; ployed. obviously, any other suitablemethod for Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing heating thepress platens and dies may be emthe surface layers held adjacent theseparated p oyed.

dies by securing means after being initially .The surface layers I and 2are placed in the 50 shaped and with a center layer or core positionedopened press, which is then closed to provide V therebetween prior tothe final pressing operathese two layers with substantially the shape offl V r the finished tray, and the 'dies are properly Fig. 3 isa'perspective view of a completed shape r this p p y inserting e t utray; surface layers in the press for the Initial shap or shaping step.As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,.

these may comprise pins e, having a substantially spearhead-shaped endportion. when the dies are brought together with the two surface layerstherein, the pins 9 on the upper die pass` through the plies a distancesufficient to bring the spearhead partially or entirely through theupper layer which serves to secure this layer to its respective die. Asthe portions of the pins 9 which may extend beyond this surface layerare pointed or tapered they will be readily withdrawn from any but theiradjacent layer when the dies are separated. The pins 9 on the bottom diepass through the lower layr 2 in the same manner. Thus, when the platensare separated, the upper layer will be substantially flxedly secured tothe upper die and the lower layer to the lower die, thereby preventingany lateral displacement of either layer. If the press dies were againbrought together, the two surface layers would register with each otherand with their respective dies.

After the surface layers have been given an initial shape and the diesseparated, the core 3 is positioned in the.press between the two surfacelayers. A suitable heat-reactive' adhesive, suchas a synthetic resin, isprovided on both the upper and lower surfaces of the core. One method ofapplying this adhesive is to wrap the core with a very thin fabric, suchas tissue paper, saturated with the adhesive. Thereafter, the platensare again brought adjacent each other, thereby acting to shape the coresimilarly to the surface layers and also to set the adhesive 'and formthe three layers as a single unit. The press platens are then separatedand the tray disengaged from the securing members 9. i

Following this, the edges, including the portion affected by the*holding means 9, are removed and trimmed. The pins& are preferably sopositioned that, when a tray is formed; the pins do not affect thehandle or other projec'ting portions on the finished article.Thereafter,`. .the tray may be finished in any suitable manner;

"Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a pair" of platens 4 and 5 fittednot only with co-operating' shaping dies but with one or more embossingdies for forming a design on or embossing the border on the traysurface. The press shown in this figure has a lower die n flxedlymounted on' the lower platen as previously explained in connection withthe press shown in Figs. 1 and-2.

'The upper die, however, is differently arranged.

A'plate ll is flxedly mounted on the under surface of the upper platen 4by means of ciamps z or any other suitable means. The upper die 13 isthen reiliently connected to the plate Il. For

this purpose, coil springs M may be positioned between the plat il andthe die |3 with the ends of the springs seated in recesses providedtherefor in these members., In order to limit the movement of the diel3`aw`ay from the plate li, bolts !5 are countersunk in the plate l landthreaded into die !3. This permits limited movement of these twomembers. The portions of the pper die ,above those parts of the traythat are to be embossed are cut out and embossing dies IS are positionedtherein and flxedly mounted on the plate ll so as to be capable ofmovement with respect to the die !3. The lower edges of the embossingdies are 'preferably arranged so that they do not extend downwardlyquite as far as the lower edge of the shaping die !3 adjacent thereto.

There may be one or more embossing dies !6 as desired.

In the utilization of the apparatus 'shown in Fig. 4, the two surfacesheets i and 2 are positioned between the dies and the press is thenclosed As the resiliently held upper shaping die |3 extends slightlybelow the embossing dies IS, the surface sheets are given an initialshape before the embossing dies engage the face of the upper surfacesheet. Obviously the springs ll must exert sufiicient pressure to causethe shaping diesto shape. the surface sheets before the embossing diesengage them. As the platens are then brought closer together, theembossing die is forced into theupper face of the upper surface sheet,`thereby providing the desired design. Pins 9 or other securing means'may also be'provided in this type of apparatus and extend from the'shaping dies near the outer edges thereof. Thus, as the two forming diesare separated, the surface layers are carried therewith so that, whenthey are again brought together, they will register .properly with eachother and the various dies.

Other types of securing means than the pins 9 may be employed. One suchtype is shown in Fig. 5. These comprise plates or clips l4, which arerotatably mounted adj'acent the edges of the upper and lower dies. ablytaper away from their respective dies. Thus, when the surface layershave been given their initial shape, the clips are rotated so that theends of the clips mounted on the lower die engage the upper face of thelower surface layer, and the clips on the upper die engage the lowerface of the upper surface layer. consequently, when the two platens areseparated, the surface layers are carriedwith their respective dies andare prevent from any lateral movement or displacement. Othermeans mayalso be employed to hold the surface layers adjacent the platens afterOne or both ends prefersigns in the same operation without requiring anyadditional time or steps. u

While the present invention has been described in detail,'variousmodifications and changes may be made therein without departing fromthis invention, and I therefore-wi'sh to be limited only by the priorart and the'scope of the appendecl claims.

I claim:

1. The method of forming laminated, shaped articles which comprisessimultaneously shaping layersof comparatively thinwood' and embossingportions of one of said layers, separating said shaped layers whileretaining the same againstlateral displacement, inserting a wooden coreand adhesivebetween said 1ayers, and bringing, said layers togetherwhile' r'taining the same against lateral displacement to shape thecore' similarly and cause said coreand' layers to be secured together indesired shape.-

2. A method of formingiaininated, shaped articles which comprisessimultaneously shaping a I plurality of layers of relatively stiffbendable'ma-" terial in superposed position, separating said layerswhile retain'ing the same against lateral displacement, inserting a coreand adhesve therebetween, bringing said layers together while retainingthe same against lateral displacement, and forcing them tightly againsteach other.

3. The method of form'ng laminated, shaped substantially exactregistration to similarly shape said core and cause the core and layersto be secured together in desired shape.

4. A method of forming laminated, shaped articles which comprisessimultaneously shaping a plurality of layers of relatively stifibendable material in superposed position, separating said lay-- ers, andadhesively securing substantially unshaped core material between and tosaid layers while similarly shaping said core material.

5. A method of form'ing laminated, shaped articles which comprisesplacing two separate laxers of wood in contacting superposed position,simultaneous'ly and similarl shaping said layers while applying heatthereto, separating said layers in a definite'fixed path, inserting acore and heat re: active adhesive therebetween, supplying heat to saidadhesive and bringing said layers together in said definite fixed pathin substantially exact registration to cause the core and layers to besecurel together in desired shape.

6. The method of forming laminated, dieshaped articles whichcomprisesplacing two layers of Wood in superposed position, simultaneously andsimilarly shaping said layers, gripping each layer and while so grippedseparating said layers in a definite' fixed path, inserting core andadhesive material between said layers, and while still gripped bringingsaid shaped layers together in said definite fixed path in substantiallyexact registration tocause the core and 'layers to be secured togetherin desired shape.

RUSSELL WALTON CAMFIELD.

